Filament-packing apparatus and method



Feb. 15, 1966 L. KITSELMAN 3,

FILAMENT-PACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed July 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

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FILAMENT-PAGKING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed July 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,235,202 FILAMENT-PACKENG APPARATUS AND METHQD Harry 1... Kitselman, Muncie, llnd., assignor to General Cable'Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 27, 1962, Ser. No. 212,870 11 Claims. (Cl. 242-83) It has heretofore been proposed, as in United States Letters Patent Nos. 403,304, 1,630,718, and 2,404,742 for example, to arrange filamentary material in an annular pack by forming it into a succession of superposed, generally circular loops arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of the pack and in progressive angularly spaced relation about such axis. In practice, the annular pack is frequently formed in a cylindrical container having a central core which extends through all the loops, and the loops have a diameter approximately equal to or somewhat greater than the average of the container and core diameters.

Packages of filamentary material so formed have had considerable use. They possess the advantage that the material may be withdrawn axially from the container at high rates of speed with little likelihood. of snarling or knotting. However, prior methods employed to form such packages have resulted in a relatively wide and inaccurately controlled angular spacing of successively deposited loops with-the consequence that much of the space within the container is void'and the density of packing low.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method which will produce filament packages of the type menitoned. but which will provide a reduced angular spacing of the successively deposited loops and a consequent increase in packing-density.

Inpracticing the invention in the preferred manner, the filament is formed into a series of loops which are successively deposited, desirably in a cylindrical container as in the prior method described above, and as the pack is being formed the container is subjectedto a cyclically varying angular acceleration about its axis. Conveniently, the container is secured to a table mounted for oscillation about the container axis, and means are provided for oscillating the table, preferably at a frequency substantially greater than that of turn-deposition. The inertial forces to which the deposited loops are subjected as a result of the angular acceleration cause successive loops to approach, or even attain, a closely nested relationship in which the linear distance between the centers ofsuccessive loops is substantially equal to the cross-sectional diameter of the filarnent.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, in partial section, illustrating one form of apparatus suitable for use in the practice of my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a coiler,

designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 16,

adapted to deliver the filamentary material to be packaged in a succession of'loops 11 which fall into a cylindrical drum 12. In conformity with common practice, the drum 12 is shown as possessing a central core 13 having a diameter smaller than that of the drum to provide an annular space in which the loops 12 are successively deposited. For convenience, the material tobe packaged will hereinafter be referred to as wire, although it is to be understood that the apparatus is useful in the packaging of other continuous stock.

Coilers siutable for use in feeding wire into a drum of the type shown usually employ a capstan about which 3,235,202 Patented Fella. 15,1966- ice the wire is progressively wrapped and from which the loops 11 are progressively discharged. Such coilers may be regarded as of two general types, depending upon whether the capstan must, or need not, rotate in forming the loops 11. In the former type, the discharged loops will rotate around their axis, and it is hence necessary that the drum receiving the loops also rotate. In the latter type, rotation of the drum is not necessary.

With an arrangement of either of the types mentioned, haphazardly falling loops result in a packing of relatively low density, only a comparatively small amount of wire being required to fill the drum. Attempts to guide the wire to increase packing density by producing close nesting of one type or another between successively de posited loops have not proven completely successful because the wire, once freed from the guiding means, tends to assume a form and disposition determined by factors difiicult to control. Other expedients aimedat increasing packing density have involved bouncing the drum vertically. or thumping it with lateral blows to promote closer nesting of deposited loops. While such steps may work a more or less substantial increase in packing density, they still leave much to be desired.

My method of increasing packing density involves the step of subjecting the drum and the wire loops it contains to angular accelerations in a plane perpendicular to the drum-axis, as by oscillating the drum about an axis which is conveniently the axis of the drum. To this end, the drum 121s shown as supported on a table 14 mounted in a bearing 15 for oscillation about a vertical axis, and power-operated. mechanism is provided for oscillating the table. The oscillatingmechanism shown in the drawing comprises a rotatable member 16 provided with an eccentric crank-pin 17 connected through a link 18 to an eccentric pin 19' on the table 14. As shown, the member 16 is a disk rigidly mounted on the vertical output shaft of a speed-reducing mechanism 20, the input shaft 21 of which is operatively connected to a source of power such as the electric motor 22, which is desirably of the variable speed type. As will be apparent, rotation of the disk 16 will cause the table 14 to oscillate about its axis. The drum 12', of course, is clamped to the table, as by means of a circumferential series of clamps 23 and hence will oscillate with the table.

I have found that while the loops may fall into the drum in a state of more or less random disposition, the inertial forces resulting from oscillation of the drum cause laterdeposited loops to shift or creep about the drumaxis relative to earlier deposited loops toward, or even into, a completely nested relationship in which the centers ofsuccessive loops will be separated by a linear distance substantially equal to the diameter of the wire. For best results, the frequency of drum-oscillation should be substantially greater than that with which the loops 11 are discharged from the coiler 10. The amplitude of drum-oscillation is desirably in the neighborhood. of 2. In general, the greater the frequency and amplitude of oscillation, the more nearly will the completely nested relationship above referred to be approached. However, since oscillation causes loops to slide over each other with consequent wear on wire surfaces, it may be desirable in some instances to employ an oscillation less vigorous than that which would be required to produce optimum nesting. The frequency of drum-oscillation can be controlled by varying the speed of the motor 22 while to vary the amplitude the disk 16 may be provided with a plurality of holes 16 located at different distances from the gearaxis and each adapted to receive and locate the crank-pin 17.

The present invention is not concerned with the type of coiler employed, as any coiler capable of discharging wire in the form of successive loops of approximately uniform size may be used. The particular coiler shown in the drawing is of a type more fully shown and described in my prior application Ser. No. 103,128 filed April 14, 1961, now Patent No. 3,106,354. It comprises a stationary, annular capstan 25, an idler support 26 rotatable about the capstan-axis, and a pair of idlers 27 and 28 mounted on the ends of the idler support in positions spaced outwardly from and approximately coplanar with the capstan. The wire 30 to be coiled passes through a hollow shaft 31 on which the support 26 is mounted, around a sheave 32 mounted on the support, and around the idler 27. Leaving the idler 27 as the stretch 33, the wire enters a peripheral v groove in the capstan and passes partly around the capstan to the idler 23, from which it passes, as the stretch 34, around the capstan beneath the stretch 33. Tension in the entering wire exists in the stretch 33, which forces the stretch 34 into firmly wedged engagement with the capstan groove and prevents circumferential slippage of the wire. As the idler support 26 rotates continuously in a clockwise direction, the wire 30 is drawn into the coiler, wrapped around the capstan, and released therefrom in the form of the loops 11.

As an example of a specific use of the apparatus so far described, I cite the packing of No. gauge soft copper wire in a drum 12 having an internal diameter of 19% inches and a height of inches and provided with a core 13 having an external diameter of 13%. inches. With the coiler delivering wire-loops approximately 17 inches in diameter at a rate of about twelve per minute, and with the drum oscillating at a frequency of 175 cycles per minute through an arc of approximately 4 inch as measured on the drum circumference, approximately 300 pounds of wire were packed in the drum. In contrast, when the drum was not oscillated but was thumped vigorously as it was being filled, only about 500 pounds of wire filled the drum.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for packaging wire or like filamentary material in a drum hawing an annular packing space, comprising a coiler for forming the material into loops of predetermined diameter and for discharging such loops successively into the annular space of a drum disposed with its axis generally vertical, and means operative as the drum is being filled for oscillating the drum about its axis through such an angle and at such a rate as to cause deposited loops to shift angularly in the drum as a result of inertial forces.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means is adjustable to vary the amplitude and the frequency of the oscilaltions it produces.

25. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means is adjustable to vary the frequency of the oscillations it produces.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means is adjustable to vary the amplitude of the oscillations it produces.

5. Apparatus for packaging wire or like filamentary material in a drum having an annular packing space, comprising a coiler for forming the material into loops of predetermined diameter and for discharging such loops successively into the annular space of a drum disposed with its axis generally vertical, and means for subjecting the drum to a cyclically varying angular acceleration in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, the acceleration being great enough to cause deposited loops to shift angularly in the drum as a result of inertial forces.

6. Apparatus for packaging wire or like filamentary material in a drum having an annular packing space, comprising a coiler for forming the material into loops of predetermined diameter and for discharging such loops successively into the annular space of a drum disposed with its axis generally vertical, and means for subjecting the drum to a cyclically varying angular acceleration about its axis, said acceleration being great enough to cause angular shifting of deposited loops in the drum as a result of inertial forces.

'1". In apparatus for forming wire or like filamentary material into an annular pack in which a succession of generally circular loops of the material are disposed in positions of predetermined eccentricity and in progressive angularly spaced relation with respect to the axis of the pack, a coiler for forming and successively discharging such loops, a receiver for receiving and supporting the discharged loops in successively overlapping relationship and for confining them to such positions of predetermined eccentricity, and means for subjecting said receiver to a cyclically varying angular acceleration in a plane parallel to the planes of the overlapping loops, said acceleration being great enough to cause angular shifting of deposited loops in the drum as a result of inertial forces.

8. A method of packing wire or like filamentary material in an annular pack, comprising the steps of forming the material into a succession of loops, depositing such loops in a loop-supporting receiver in overlapping relation, confining the loops to positions of predetermined eccentricity with respect to the axis of the pack, and subjecting the overlapping loops to a cyclically varying angular acceleration in their respective planes, said acceleration being great enough to cause angular shifting of deposited loops in the receiver as a result of inertial forces.

9. A method of packing wire or like filamentary material in an annular pack, comprising the steps of forming the material into a succession of loops, depositing such loops in a loop-supporting receiver in overlapping relation, confining the loops to positions of predetermined eccentricity with respect to the axis of the pack, and subjecting the overlapping loops to a cyclically varying angular acceleration about the pack-axis, said acceleration being great enough to cause angular shifting of deposited loops in the receiver as a result of inertial forces.

10. A method of packing wire or like filamentary material in an annular pack, comprising the steps of forming the material into a succession of loops, depositing such loops in a loop-supporting receiver in overlapping relation, confining the loops to positions of predetermined eccentricity with respect to the axis of the pack, and oscilalting the receiver about the pack-axis at a frequency many times that at which the loops are deposited and through an amplitude on the order of 2.

11. A method of packing wire or like filamentary material in an annular pack, comprising the steps of forming the material into a succession of loops, depositing such loops in a loop-supporting receiver in overlapping relation, confining the loops to positions of predetermined eccentricity with respect to the axis of the pack, and oscillating the receiver about the pack-axis at a frequency many times that at which the loops are deposited and through an amplitude great enough to cause angular shifting of deposited loops.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,582,968 5/1926 Bryant 259- 2,722,729 11/1955 Wilhelm 242-83 X 2,868,474 1/ 1959 Lewis 24283 2,929,576 3/1960 Henning 242-82 2,929,577 3/1960 Henning 24Z'83 FOREIGN PATENTS 618,047 4/1961 Canada.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner, 

1. APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WIRE OF LIKE FILAMENTARY MATERIAL IN A DRUM HAVING AN ANNULAR PACKING SPACE, COMPRISING A COILER FOR FORMING THE MATERIAL INTO LOOPS OF PREDETERMINED DIAMETER AND FOR DISCHARGING SUCH LOOPS SUCCESSIVELY INTO THE ANNULAR SPACE OF A DRUM DISPOSED WITH ITS AXIS GENERALLY VERTICAL, AND MEANS OPERATIVE AS THE DRUM IS BEING FILLED FOR OSCILLATING THE DRUM ABOUT ITS AXIS THROUGH SUCH AN ANGLE AND AT SUCH A RATE AS TO CAUSE DEPOSITED LOOPS TO SHIFT ANGULARLY IN THE DRUM AS A RESULT OF INERTIAL FORCES. 